Means for compensating for irregularities in manufacturing artificial silk thread



7 l a 6 m 6 A 2 m 2. e e h N S 2 S D EA TE MT W K GL I TR s EI VR 0 OF m I M LS Dec; 16, 1941.

MEANS FOR COMPEN MANUFACTURING ARTIFICIAL Filed May 20, 1938 g LOUIS E. LovETT I Mfi/ fig dttorneg Dec. 16, 1941. ETT 2,266,467

, IRREGULARITIES IN ICIAL SILK THREAD 20, 1938' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. E. LOV MEANS FOR GOMPENSATING FOR MANUFACTURING ARTIF Filed May 3mnentor LOUIS E. LovETT dttorneg Patented Dec. 16, 1941 MEANS FOR COMPENSATING Fon'mREGU-f LARITIES IN MANUFACTURING CIAL SILK THREAD Y .s Louis E. Lovett, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assi nor to Industrialfltayon Corporation, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware A T T f Cleveland,

Application May '20, 1938, Serial No. 209,049 (01.18 8) j 4 Claims.

T 1f, as is often the case, a varying tension is developedima ive length of thread or theilike 8.501 afterit is gatheredin or on the collecting means, a predetermined amount of stretch sufficient to compensate therefor may by means of the, present invention be introduced into the thread or the like as the package is being built up. This may be accomplished, for instance, by imparting little or no tension to the thread or the like contained in the first layer to be wound in the package, but modifying the tension as necessary in succeeding layers. Thus if the inner layers are subsequently stretched under tension, as happens, forexample, in the drying of thread which is wound while WetQthe finished product can be made to have a degree of stretch which is'uniform throughout the entire length of thread orv the like.

multiplefilamentvis a thespool-spinning process that the thread'first wound upon'the spool; e.,the thread on the inside of the packageissubjec fid indrying to a degree of tension .quite' different "from that induced in the turnSvof thread going to make up the outer portion "of the package. According to the present inventfon, this difference is compensated for :"byintroducing between the thread forming meanssand'the collectingidevice a flared thread-, a vancing thread jstore' device, preferably of cantilever form adapted to move axiallya's the V It is well known in theartof manufacturing cose artificial silk thread by out, Figure 1 represents anelevation with partsinsection of aconventional spool-spinning" machine embodying the principles of the present invention.' "Figure '2 is a front elevation of the ma' chine from line 2'-2 of Figure 1; I Figure 3 is'an end view of a typical 'formof flared thread-- advancing thread store device which may'be-eni-f ployed to advantage-"in the apparatus of the in-' vention Figure 4 is a-section with'parts in elevation of the'thread advancingthread store de vice as seen from line 4-4 of Figure 3. T j In the embodiment 'of the invention illustrated in Figures-l and 2,the-threads 6 are'formed by the extrusion of'viscose into the coagulating bath 10 contained in the trough ll extending longitudinally of the machine; Suchthreads'are formed by means of a se'ries of thread forming units-disposedtherealong each of which com prises a spinning" pump 1-; am'ass' tube 8 and a spinneret 9.

V I V 'Each'of th'epum-ps I is supplied With' viscose from the supply conduit [2 and is actuated by the drive shaft l3. 'Both the supply conduit 12 and the drive'shaft 1'3 extend alongthe entire lengtho'f; the machine; which is twosided after the manner of spool-spinning machines'of the kind heretoforeknown.

- The thread a is directed in'eac'h case from the" spin bath ll] through the manually adjustable stationary guide l4 to a retractable thread-ad:- van cing 'thread store device' l5 disposed above and at an angle to the axis of the longitudinally extending trough H.- The thread-advancing store device I5 is not only supported from one endthereof but is-adapted to advance the thread 6 in a series of cl ely spaced generally helical 'turns from the supported to the unsupported end thereof. After havingbeen advanced over the surface of said thread store device 15, thread 6 is delivered to a manually adjustablestationary guide I6 from which it proceeds to the rotatingspin' spool ll It is Wound on the spin spool l! in the usual way by means of the reciprocating guide l8 supported and actuated by the traverse arm l9;

One jform of thread-advancing thread store device which is adapted to advantageous use in thepractice of the i tant invention is" shown. in

4. It operates on rotation in a mannergenerally'similar to that, of the reel detail'in Figures 3 and ShOWIl.,',dBSCIib8d" and claimed in copending ap plication Serial No. 652,089 for Winding reel}? filed January 16, 1933, by Walter F Knebusch (Patent 2310, 914) The. deviceshown in the ac clornpanying drawings differs from the reel-therein V disclosed principally in that it is of cantilever form J and flared adjacent the unsupported end thereof The reel comprises two rigid cage members 2| and 22 made up of a plurality of longitudinally extending bar members 23 and 24 alternately disposed with respect to each other. Reel member 2|, which is referred to as the concentric member, embodies a cylindrical central portion 25 which supports and imparts the necessary rigidity tothe bar members 23: Said reel member 2| is mounted concentrically upon the drive shaft 26 and is held against a shoulder on said shaft bythe cap nut 21. In the illustratedembediment, the concentric member 2| is caused t'o rotate-with. the drive shaft 26 by means of a pin 28 passing through the shaft and extending into the slot 29 formed in the hub of said memben'fla' The second reel member 22'; known as tlie'ec centric member, is shown as being cage-like in form and made up of the barsaz4iwhich1areiprovided at their outer ends with an internal reinforcing ring 3| and at their inner ends with an externallzreinforcingrib 32 by means ofwhich the:

cagez-like': ree1.-member; 252: ismOunted. concen.-- tricaily-upom theannularsupporting, member, 33. Thew-annulan' supporting; member 33 is'rotatablymounted. upon shank 34' with.its axis in-spaced: andinclined relationship to theraxis: of concentric member 2-|-. Drive-shaft 26.- may be journallediasg-illustrated: i-n:shank 3.4;

As a result-of: theabove-described: construction, wheni the-drive shaft 2 6: is rotated the cage.-

member 2| which is' mounted concentrically upon said'shaft likGWiSGrIOtQ-tBS and, because of: the intedigitating relation of: the-:barssZl-and 24, drivesthe rotatably; mounted. cage-member 2-2 by barto-bar contact. Radial. displacement of. the barsof; one. cage-member with. respectito-those of the other cagemember causesthe thread to-becarriedi first: by one set. of bars and: then by: the other. The inclined relationshipbetween the sets-1 causes; the. thread. to advance longitudinallyoft-he reels Gnrotat-ion of thereel, bothfactors. taken-togethenresultin progression of the thread: fromzonerend. of; thereelto the other in theform. of=an advancingmelix. made upof a.- large number of. closely spaced; generally helical turns.

Due to the-configuration-oftheiretractable reel illustrated in\. the accompanying drawings, the desired.- amountof. tension is. imparted to the. thread. as; it. traverses a path upon said. reel defined by stationary lead-on guide 4 and: stationary-take-oifguide, l6. During-the periodpf. time,- required; tor-build up the package: of thread. on: thespinspool H, the reel. I5. as a whole is, gradually retracted toward the center ofthe. apparatus;. i: e., away. from the. operating face. of the. machine. Due to the fixed. positionef. guides I4 and. |.6,- this retractive. movement in effect causes thepath. followed. bythread. 6.. tobe. moved. toward the:discharge-.end.-of. the reel. l5; i.. e., towardthe portion of maximum. diameter. The. result iswtowincrease the;diameters..0f some or. all. of the turns going. to. make. up the-helix into. which the threadis formed.

The periphery. of. reel I5. is shown as being regularly flaredfrem aninitialcylindrical lead? on portion.- adjacent the supported end. of;.thev reel: practically to. the unsupported end thereof, where. thacross-sectional. diameter. of.the. reel is. at. its. maximum. In. a. reel; of; given. length,. the. included anglee-oftha flared portion. of the. reel. fixes. themaximum. amountof' stretch. that can. be exerted upon-the. thread,.the degreeeof stretch increasing asthe. threadi path. is. causedto. approachrtlie; unsupported endloflthe. reel; By. thus progressively increasing. the diametersot-I the.

path traversed by the thread 6 on the flared portion of the reel, a correspondingly increasing stretch is imparted to the thread, the introduction of such stretch coinciding approximately with the formation of the portion of the thread package on which only a minimum degree of tension is developediby thexdrying' operation. The provision of an initial lead-err portion of cylindrical shape renders it possible to minimize variations in denier of the kind which would occur if.the.reel-were continuously flared from one end; to. the other.

Retractionzof thereel may be accomplished by a rack 31 secured to a shank 34 on reel l5 and a cooperating segmental gear 38 actuated by a longitudinally extending shaft 39 preferably rotatedat a'yeryslow speed by means of a motor (not shown). Shank 34 is slidably mounted in a bracket 4| secured to frame member 42 extendinglengthwise of the machine as a whole. Shank 34 is prevented; from. turning, by the key 43: held imbracketktwhich slides in aislotecutlengthwise" of'said shankaMv as well as-by the rack 31 which; slides-in aslot cutin the inside of. the bracket;

Shaft 39, .whichserves to. operate a series ofseg mental gears 38 actuating a corresponding num-- ber. of reels l5; may be supported. by hearing brackets mounted on: frame member 42.

In order toinsure positive rotation of the-reel. v l5 whileitds being. retracted, it isnecessary to.-

provide for. endwise movement. of the driveshaft 26.. of. the reel. This. may. be accomplished: by. means. of. helical. gearsand. 45,, gear. 45. heing. fixed to. a-drive. shaft 46. extending longitudinally of. the machineandoperating aplurality ofsimilarreels Gear 44Imaybe.provided with.pin.4| which. cooperates with. a. groove cut-v lengthwise. of. the. shaft. 26' to permit thezshaft to. slide axial.- ly. Astati'onary, bracket 48' securedtolongitudb .nall'y extending. framemember. 491 prevents the gear. from. moving, laterally ontheshaftas the reel is retracted. A. key 5| (Figure 4) or. other suitable means cooperates with the circular;

keyway 52. in. preventing. endwiset movement ofthe. shaft. 26; with respect to shank.34.

It. is desirable. that. a. reversing transmission. (not. shown) belocated at. the driving. end .of shaft, the operation. offorming, the threactpackageon, the spool |'|.-,.the. reel. |.5. may. be. returnedltosthe starting position. forv replacement of' the filled. spool'by an empty spool.

In. conventional spool-spinning, practice, the thread is. wound. upon the spool. directly after. being withdrawn from. the, spinbatlnin. conse quence of which fact that thread comprisingthe. first few layers, when subjected to drying, tends. to shrink but is.preventedfromso doing by, the. spool. The tensional stress thereby introduced in. the thread iszgra'dually decreased. inthesucceeding layersjying at or near thecenter of. the. package, this because. the threadinthis portion. of'the package is permitted to. shrinkagainst the. resilient cushion formed by theinnermostl layers.. The outermost layers. ofi'the package; beingsthe. first to. dry, .t'end toshrinkagainstthe intermedie atelayers whilegthey are still, wet and are thereby. prevent'ed1from shrinking as. freely as mightlbe desired;

As stated; one of'thepurposesof the invention. is to impart to. the threadas it'isbeing wound on the spool an. amountv of stretch. sufficientto. equalize the tension developed in the intermediate and outermost thread layers. by. the drying operation. It hasbeen pointed. outthatthis. can

39 in order. that, upon. thecompletion. of

Thus it may be desirable to increase the tension in the thread from the minimum when the thread package is started upon the spin spool to a maximum when a certain portion of the package is wound, say 10,000 to 12,000 meters of thread, in which portion of the package the thread when dried experiences the least amount of shrinkage, and thereafter to decrease, the tension until the completed package, approximately 16,000 meters, is formed. To accomplish this, the reel may be constructed with a flared portion extending from the cylindrical lead-on portion to a predetermined maximum diameter, such flared portion being followed by a reversely tapered portion extending thence to the unsupported end of the reel. Thus after reaching the portion of maximum diameter, the thread may be advanced therebeyond to the tapered portion of the reel, where the tension imparted to the thread is relaxed as desired.

Thread which has been subjected in the course of its manufacture to non-uniform stresses will not possess the high degree of uniformity which the trade demands. If non-uniform tensile stresses are imposed upon the thread in the course of its production, the dyeing of the fabric made therefrom will produce shiners; i. e., bright streaks which result from a modified aflinity of the thread for the dyestufi, in addition to which the cloth made from such thread will not hold its shape satisfactorily because of the fact that different portions of the fabric are formed from thread having a non-uniform capacity for elongation. By the present invention, thread which possesses uniform properties throughout its length can be readily obtained.

With only slight modifications in the method and means herein disclosed, such, for example, as the substitution of a double-ended reel for the cantilever reel illustrated, the invention may be adapted to any of the known processes for the production of artificial silk threa'd. Although the illustrated embodiment of the invention is described as applied to the viscose process, it should be understood that the invention is equally adaptable to the cuprammonium, cellulose acetate and nitrocellulose processes, as well as to the manufacture of thread or the like of still other kinds. It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside in the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk thread having uniform dyeing properties comprising a thread supply source; means for collecting the thread in package form upon a spool; disposed between said thread supply source and said spool, a unitary thread-advancing thread store device upon which the thread is advanced in an axial direction in the form of a helix made up of a plurality of closely spaced turns, said thread store device having a periphery including a cylindrical portion to which the thread passes from said supply source and a contiguous frustoconical portion flared in the direction of advance of the thread; means defining the path of travel of the thread upon the periphery of said thread store device; and means for moving said thread store device relatively to said defining means, whereby the helix formed by the thread is moved in an axial direction along the periphery of the device.

2. Apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk thread having uniform dyeing characteristics comprising a thread supply source; means for collecting the thread in package form upon a spool; disposed between said thread supply source and said spool, a unitary thread-advancing thread store device which is supported from one end only upon which the thread is advanced in the direction of the unsupported end thereof in the form of a helix made up of a plurality of closely spaced turns, said thread store device having a periphery including a cylindrical portion to which the thread passes from said supply source and a contiguous frusto-conical portion flared toward said unsupported end; means de finingthe path of travel of the thread upon the periphery of said thread store device; and means for moving said thread store device relatively to said defining means, whereby the helix formed by the thread is moved in an axial direction along the periphery of the device.

3. Apparatus for the production of thread of synthetic origin possessing uniform dyeing characteristics comprising a thread supply source; a unitary thread-advancing reel of cantilever construction the periphery of which is made up of a cylindrical portion to which the thread passes from said supply source and a contiguous frustoconical portion flared toward the unsupported end thereof; means for supporting said reel; means for moving said reel with respect to its supporting means whereby the path of travel of said thread is moved in an axial direction along the periphery of the device; and means for collecting the thread in package form upon a spool.

4. Apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk thread of uniform dyeing characteristics comprising a thread supply source; a unitary thread-advancing thread store device the periphery of which is made up of a cylindrical portion to which the thread passes from said supply source and a contiguous frusto-conical portion flared in the direction of advance of the thread; means defining the path of travel of the thread upon the thread store device; means for moving said thread store device in an axial direction with respect to said defining means; and means for collecting the thread in package form upon a' spool.

LOUIS E. LOVETT. 

